This invention relates generally to threshing and, more particularly, to longitudinal threshing and separating cylinder machines.
In conventional combine harvesters crop material is threshed and separated until chaff and the like is removed and substantially clean grain remains. A fan is often used to blow a stream of forced air first through the sieves and then through the crop material moving from a grain pan or other such transport device. The air aids in removing undesirable chaff and the like from desirable grain.
A limitation of this is that a substantial amount of chaff passes to the grain pan after initial threshing and/or separating. This forms a conglomerate mass of grain and chaff which is difficult to clean. Thus, chaff acts to clog the ability for crop material to pass from the grain pan to the cleaning sieves.
The foregoing illustrates limitations of the known prior art. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations as set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is to provide an additional fan for cleaning the crop material before that crop material enters the grain pan.